Pain in the neck, dark spot on the rib in X-ray. Could it be cancer?

Hello, I'm writing in concern of my husband 52 years old. He had an xray done by a chiropracter for pain in his neck...the xray showed a dark spot on his 4th rib...there is no history of prostate cancer or any cancer in his family...he does smoke, drink a little and has a lot of stress from his job...(he owns his own computer company)...I am so scared and terrified...I have been praying...what besides cancer could that spot be??? he just found out yesterday...please can you help??? Thank you!

First of all, I would like to point out some basics of X-ray. In an X-ray, black is air and white is bone.

Since you are talking about the 4th rib, most likely it would have been an air pocket or an artifact. So please don't worry about cancer. Additionally, cancer most commonly will appear opaque on an X-ray and not black.

What I would like you to do is, to get the x- XXXXXXX reported by a radiologist and if at all, the X-ray report comes abnormal, get MRI chest done. That will give you more clear picture.

I hope, this answers your query. Please accept my answer in case you have no follow up query.

Follow-up: Pain in the neck, dark spot on the rib in X-ray. Could it be cancer? 1 hour later

Thank you so much for your answer...I feel more relieved...I'm just wondering what an artifact would be?...the dark spot is on the bottom of his rib and is about the size of a very small kidney bean sideways...he is going to go to a radiologist. Do chiropraters have real medical knowledge like a doctor?...he told my husband he thinks it could be metatastic carcinoma and wants to rule it out...is this a routine type of thing?...thank you again.

Sincerely,
XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha 11 minutes later

answer Id 34702; conversation id 34702

Hello XXXXXXX

Thanks for writing back.

No, these people are not certified clinicians, with little or no knowledge about how to read an x-ray.

An artifact in this case could have come due to rotation of the film, faulty exposure of the film (the x XXXXXXX beam), etc.